A systematic review of enhanced resurgence paradigms

Following successful treatment in which problem behavior is reduced, it may reemerge as a function of changes in contextual stimuli or the worsening of reinforcement conditions for an alternative response. Although understudied, preliminary research suggests that simultaneous changes in contextual stimuli and reinforcement conditions may represent particularly exigent treatment challenges that create the condition for additive or superadditive relapse. The purpose of the present review was to systematically examine the relapse literature involving simultaneous changes in contextual stimuli and reinforcement conditions in relapse tests and experimental preparations arranged to evaluate their effect on response recovery. We identified 16 empirical articles spanning 27 experiments. Although all experiments included at least one condition that experienced a change in contextual stimuli and worsening of alternative reinforcement conditions, only two experiments included the comparison conditions needed to precisely evaluate additive and superadditive relapse. Our findings establish the preclinical generality of relapse effects associated with simultaneous changes to reinforcement conditions and contextual stimuli across a range of subjects, schedule arrangements, response topographies, reinforcers, and types of contextual changes. We make several recommendations for future research based on our findings from this nascent and clinically relevant subdomain of the relapse literature.     

Choice in a self-control paradigm with human subjects: Effects of changeover delay duration

The present experiment examined the choices of human subjects as a function of changeover delay (COD) duration. A self-control paradigm was used; subjects chose between larger, more delayed and smaller, less delayed reinforcers. The COD durations were 1 s, 15 s, and 30 s. The results indicated that at the 1-s COD, the subjects distributed their responses approximately equally between the two response alternatives. However, at the 15-s and 30-s COD durations, the subjects tended to demonstrate virtually exclusive preference for the larger, more delayed reinforcer. Furthermore, increasing the COD duration significantly increased the subjects' sensitivity to variation in reinforcer delay. Increasing the COD duration also increased the subjects' sensitivity to reinforcer amount, but this effect was not significant. The results are qualitatively consistent with an interpretation that the subjects followed a strategy which attempted to maximize overall amount of reinforcement.     

A Prospective Study of Adolescent Suicidal Behavior Following Hospitalization

Identification of factors associated with adolescent suicidal behavior following psychiatric hospitalization would facilitate development of effective aftercare interventions. This prospective study identified specific predictors of suicidal behavior in 100 adolescents during a 6-month follow-up period. Standardized baseline assessments and structured follow-up telephone interviews were conducted with adolescents and their guardians. Eighteen percent of adolescents reported suicidal behavior during the follow-up period, primarily of low medical lethality and minimal or ambivalent suicidal intent. This behavior was associated with suicidal thoughts, family dysfunction, and dysthymia. It was not associated with initial posthospitalization treatment compliance. Implications of these findings are discussed.